OT: Raise the Jolly Roger: New season of plundering begins

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Alright Pauly,
Lets get dangerous.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Skenes hits the hill, all over a sudden blue skies and sun shine hit Pittsburgh. .... Literately.

1st batter, 1st K , all 100+ on the heater.

 

[Empoleon8771]

1st batter, 1 K and 5 pitches over 100.

2nd batter, 3 off-speed pitches and makes Suzuki look like an idiot.

Good lord Skenes is so good.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Skenes is the real deal here folks, that stuff is NASTY.

 

[Empoleon8771]

You can clearly tell Skenes is nervous, he's a bit wild to start and throwing 20 pitches in the 1st isn't quite ideal. Figure he'll only end up going about 5 today.

Still though, the dude already has the nastiest stuff of anyone on the Pirates. His stuff is a tier above Jones and I don't mean that as a slight on Jones even in the slightest.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

He was overthrowing a bit which is understandable but otherwise Skenes looked excellent.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Paul Skenes- The Big Nasty Bastard.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Skenes throws his 4-seam fastball literally a full 10 MPH faster than Steele

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Skenes throws his 4-seam fastball literally a full 10 MPH faster than Steele

In awe of that lad, He is an absolute unit.

 

[DJ Spinoza]

Glad he got a break and the inning didn't go sour because of a few nerves on that walk.

I imagine the nerves will remain for the first start, but one thing that I think might be surprising with him is that he'll be capable of first pitch weak contact outs. It didn't show up a ton in AAA because so few of the batters he faced were even capable of putting him in play but I think it could manifest as he starts his MLB career.

 

[MrBrightside]

One random observation is what a good AB that Cody Bellinger had. Hard to believe that two years ago he looked to be done. What a weird career arc he's had.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I didn't actually realize Cruz was on a bit of a run recently, he's back to a 108 OPS+ on the year which is identical to what he has had in the last 2 years. I'd hope for more power but I don't mind him sitting at a .270/.310/.420 slash line.

I may prefer him as a leadoff hitter with that kind of slash line than a worse average but higher slugging in the middle of the lineup.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Back to Absolute Unit and Big Nasty Bastard Paul Skenes throwing darts, folding people like lawn chairs and living by the sword.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Glad he got a break and the inning didn't go sour because of a few nerves on that walk.

I imagine the nerves will remain for the first start, but one thing that I think might be surprising with him is that he'll be capable of first pitch weak contact outs. It didn't show up a ton in AAA because so few of the batters he faced were even capable of putting him in play but I think it could manifest as he starts his MLB career.

Good example of that weaker contact on that Happ groundout just now.

 

[MrBrightside]

They need to separate Jones and Skenes in the rotation moving forward. Seeing them B2B does the second one no favors - stick Perez or Falter between them.

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

Shit gotta go to work I'll check out the rest on the old DVRing machine.

 

[since70]

This offense is so anemic. Skenes barely sits down and he has to go back out

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

Thank goodness for challenges because apparently MLB umps being able to see a clear-as-day tag 3 feet in front of their face is unreasonable.

How long until Livvy is complaining about Paul's run support?

 

[WickedWrister]

JOE!!!!!!

Cruz was ALL over that shit

 

[Factorial]

Thank goodness for challenges because apparently MLB umps being able to see a clear-as-day tag 3 feet in front of their face is unreasonable.

How long until Livvy is complaining about Paul's run support?

This post didn't age well.

 

[NewAgeOutlaw]

This post didn't age well.

Thank goodness I put the reverse jinx on.

 

[Fiji Water]

I actually think Jared Jones had the more impressive debut. That said, Skenes is a stud. Clearly didn't have his usual command but still managed to get the job done

 

[The Great Mighty Poo]

I actually think Jared Jones had the more impressive debut. That said, Skenes is a stud. Clearly didn't have his usual command but still managed to get the job done

SOON, just giving batters false hope.

 

[Empoleon8771]

I think you had to pull Skenes there with Bellinger coming up, I just hate that they went to Nicolas. The dude is terrible and wasn't going to be any better against the heart of the lineup than Skenes.

 

[Mr Jeff Jimerson]

I think you had to pull Skenes there with Bellinger coming up, I just hate that they went to Nicolas. The dude is terrible and wasn't going to be any better against the heart of the lineup than Skenes.

Kyle Nicolas makes me absolutely sick to my stomach. He is single handedly ruining Skenes Day.